Media Survey: Reporting All Sides?
If the circumstances surrounding a man's death are uncertain, media coverage should reflect this uncertainty. But CAMERA's evaluation shows the record is mixed.
New York Times
The New York Times, one of the most influential newspapers in the world, not only influences its readers but also has significant impact on the news judgment and editorial perspective of other media. The caliber of accuracy, balance and thoroughness in this publication are therefore of particular importance.
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Hague Ruling Front Page News; Palestinian Attack Takes Second Place
Most major print media outlets covered the Hague's court ruling in front page articles, but did not accord the same attention to the subsequent Palestinian terrorist attacks--the reason for Israel's security barrier. The major newspapers varied in the amount of context given and in the emphasis of articles about the Palestinian attack. Some portrayed the bombing as an excuse for Israeli Prime Minister Sharon's to defy international law.
The New York Times covers (and covers up for) Palestinian child bombers
Why do Palestinian children become human bombs, willingly strapping on suicide belts and slipping into Israel to kill as many Jews as possible? That's the key question which the New York Times has once again failed to answer, this time in an otherwise informative story by Greg Myre ("Israel Says Children Enlist Children as Suicide Bombers", June 13, 2004).
Journalists Fall Prey to Palestinian Booby-Traps
In the labyrinth of concrete homes and competing claims that mark Israel's operation in Gaza, the Los Angeles Times' Ken Ellingwood loses his way, straying from the Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics in reporting a Palestinian claim as fact. He is joined in this by the Guardian's Chris McGreal on NPR.
New York Sun Hits Tom Friedman Distortions
A May 18, 2004 editorial in the New York Sun identifies in detail blatant factual errors by New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman in his May 13 column. The same writer's May 16 Op-Ed was further evidence of his penchant for distortion as he compared Jewish settlers in Israel to the violently radical Iraqi cleric Moqtada Al Sadr and his Mahdi army.
UPDATED CAMERA ALERT: Inaccurate Terms in Coverage of Bush Statement
Many news reports about Bush's April 14 statements regarding refugees and settlements in the West Bank and Gaza include prejudicial, distorted and/or inaccurate language.
CAMERA Obtains Correction at New York Times
In response to correspondence from CAMERA, the New York Times printed the following correction concerning the number of Palestinian refugees from the 1948 war:
UPDATED CAMERA ALERT: Partisan Editing Skews San Francisco Chronicle Article on Teen Bomber
The San Francisco Chronicle published an abridged version of a New York Times article about a Palestinian teenage bomber, including material that gives the impression of an Israeli military that is callous and unfeeling toward a young boy, and omitting all the portions that deal with Palestinian culpability.
Partisan Reporting at AP
The New York Times Web site and the Boston Globe newspaper were just two among other media that ran a distorted Associated Press article from March 31, 2004 about Jewish purchase of property in the Silwan neighborhood of Jerusalem. Written by Ravi Nessman, the AP article took an overtly partisan stance regarding the day’s events in Silwan.
UPDATED: Tom Friedman’s Grudging Correction
Friedman admits he was wrong, sort of, about Israel's release of Palestinian prisoners during the tenure of Palestinian Prime Minister Abbas. But he maintains that Sharon was responsible for Abbas's resignation, a claim which Abbas himself refuted this week.